SmartGiving was founded by Phyllis Freedman, who has been involved in the not-for-profit sector all her life, having been raised in a home where community service and philanthropy were essential ingredients of the family DNA.

For the past 25 years of her professional career, Phyllis has held key positions in non-profit management and fund raising, helping organizations operate and raise money more effectively and efficiently.

Before establishing SmartGiving, Phyllis was Executive Vice President and General Manager of Epsilon's Fund Raising & Membership Services Group — a $30 million dollar consultative services division of that $100 million dollar plus database marketing company. Under her leadership, Epsilon's FRMS Group served some of the most respected nonprofit organizations in the country.

Phyllis has also been a committed community activist, serving as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Whitman-Walker Clinic, Washington, DC and as a member of the Board of Food & Friends, an organization based in Washington, DC that delivers hot meals to homebound persons living with AIDS, breast cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. She currently volunteers at the National Building Museum. Phyllis also provides pro bono fundraising counsel to the Museum and to Triad Health Project, an AIDS services organization serving Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham and High Point, NC.

Regularly recognized for excellence by her peers, in 1999 Phyllis was awarded the Professional Achievement Award by the Direct Marketing Association's Non-Profit Federation. Previously, she was selected "Woman of the Year" by the Washington Area Women's Direct Response Group. And she was also selected by the Non-Profit Times as one of the 12 most influential women in direct response fund raising. Phyllis is a frequent speaker on a variety of development and fundraising topics.